


A Troubled Flower

by Pandavalium



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, But hey someone had to be it, Hokage Uzumaki Naruto, I put Sakura as the bad person, M/M, Post-Chapter 698, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2017-02-22
Packaged: 2018-08-19 05:49:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8192540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandavalium/pseuds/Pandavalium
Summary: A secret is a secret for a reason, so what will happen when Naruto and Sasuke tell Sakura their secret?





	1. Birthday Surprise

“End of the day Naruto?”

A mass of blonde hair moved so his blue eyes could find the males voice, and smiled instantly in response.

“Sure am! Are you going home too?” Naruto continued his task and placed the brown folder into the cabinet that was connected to his desk.

Shikamaru shrugged. “Depends”

His adviser’s short answer caused the blonde to pause midway of his next task. “Depends on what?”

Though the brunette didn’t answer, instead he smiled.

“Lee!”

A wave of people came rushing in the Hokage’s office, Lee including since he was holding a small cake of pink icing and two lit candles that presented the numbers of two and six.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOKAGE-SAMA!”

Naruto couldn’t help but laugh in honor and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

“You guys didn’t have to do this”

“The birth of your day is known as a special day to the individual because it is the anniversary of your birth” Sai responded.  
Ino rolled her eyes, Shikamaru blinked and Choji kept eating his potato chips.

“Besides that, you’ve been in your office all day and that’s not how someone should spend their birthday” Tenten smiled.

“Heh, I guess not” Naruto then frowned. “Where’s Sakura?”

“Apparently the hospital is overflowing today, so she’ll probably come by later” Ino answered, Naruto nodded in acceptance. “Ok, you guys ready?”

Naruto couldn’t help the smile pulling hard at the corner of his lips as joy and happiness over flowed his chest. None of them could sing, oh god it sounded horrible! They were all making fools of themselves, they were acting like idiots for him. Feeling the love from each and every one of them, as they cared for him and not for their bad singing voices. Naruto could honestly say, that even though he reached his dream of becoming Hokage, this is the point of care that he craved for deeply and he was in glee that he reached it and more.

* * *

 

After they all had a slice of cake, they all bid each other farewell. He was told to take the cake home, though he gave it to Choji since he could see him eyeing it from his first bite of trying it. When Naruto arrived at his apartment, he felt in desperate need of a shower. He stripped himself of his clothes and disregarded them at the end of the bed. He felt sticky, his office raised in temperature in the middle of the day, building a bit of sweat. He washed himself and then just stood under the shower head, enjoying the warm spray run over his body. When he thought the shower had done its job he turned it off and got out, instantly drying himself and when deemed dried, he wrapping the large white towel around his waist.

A spare smaller towel rubbed against Naruto’s blonde hair before it was thrown to the basket. He readjusted the larger towel around his waist and walked out of his bathroom. His feet patted against the carpet and came to a short stop in front of the double single sized bed. A flicker in his chakra caught his attention. His gaze became distant towards the window but his focus broadened as he tried to focus on his chakra’s interruption.

It would be a second later that Naruto glanced down and smiled. “I still find it weird that you’re the only person who can sneak up on me”

In that moment, a warm pale arm snaked around his tanned waist, the hand trailed up smoothing over Naruto’s chest and a hard body pressed behind him. Sasuke pressed his face into the back of Naruto’s neck, smelling fresh soap flavored vanilla, subtlety dissolve off his skin. Sasuke took a deep breath of his scent in.

“You smell good” Sasuke practically purred into his neck.

Naruto chuckled. “I can see that. It’s surprising what showers can accomplish”

Sasuke scoffed, “And you didn’t to wait for me?”

Naruto raises an eyebrow, and turned his head slightly back. “Was I supposed to?” Sarcasm clear in his voice. Sasuke pushed him gently, though with enough force that Naruto belt over and rested on his hands on the bed, arms extended. Naruto stayed still while Sasuke inspected his back, he spoke when he ran his pale hand up Naruto’s spine.

“I would say, because it is your birthday we can do what you choose and we can later. However-” his hand changed direction when it reached his neck, and smoothed slowly down his spine. “-In this department, it’s my choice.” His hand reached the towel, he gripped it and pulled. He immediately released it, it scraped tanned skin as it pooled at the bottom of Naruto’s feet. Naruto stood up straight to finally turn and face Sasuke, who didn’t move an inch for the other, so they were extremely close to each other to the point their chests touched. Sasuke automatically moved his arm to rest on the sun-kissed waist

Naruto’s eye lids were low and his eyes glowed in a haze of lust. “And what is your choice for tonight?”

Sasuke’s head leaned forward to graze his teeth against Naruto’s jaw. “To do what I did to you last time I had my way-” Sasuke’s grazing turned into nibbling and his hand slid down and around to firmly grip and massage Naruto’s nice plump ass. Naruto couldn’t stop his eyes from closing fully. “-And turn you into an exhausted mess”

Naruto chuckled deeply. “Well then by all means, have your way with me. Sasuke.”

* * *

It felt like hours, licking, biting, sucking, oh god, it felt like it would never end. If there was one thing Sasuke knew what to do without any experience, well actually many things, but Sasuke knew Naruto like his own personal instrument. Mentally and physically. Hurrying him to the edge before coming to an agonizing halt, it frustrated the fuck out of Naruto but the pleasure he received, was dangerously intoxicating. When Sasuke and Naruto had both finished, drained and spent, Sasuke untied the restraints containing Naruto’s wrist and place them back in the dresser draw, and finally dropped himself to lay next to his everlasting victim. They stayed that way, hot and sweaty, listening to each other’s breath. That is until Sasuke heard Naruto’s stomach grumbling in complaint, causing the blonde to chuckle and scratch his hungry stomach.

Sasuke snorted, he maneuvered to the edge of the midnight blue mattress and bounced himself up, needing the extra push to lift himself off the bed. All Naruto did was watch, he currently did not have an ounce of energy to physically move from his current melted position. Or a ‘exhausted mess’ as Sasuke put it. Depending on Sasuke’s mood he could either be a sadist or masochist, mostly the first accusation though. Today his mood was on the very far side of sadistic, and besides fighting, Sasuke having his way with him like this was the only other thing that could wear him out to this point of exhaustion. Sasuke stood and his arm and limb of invisible arm, reached up. Effectively stretching his back. Naruto watched mesmerized as his muscles danced through his pale skin.

It was good to see Sasuke healthier than the time period of when he was sixteen. Well the few times Naruto actually saw him. Still on the lean side, he gained a bit more fat and muscle. His skin still pale, though now it glowed naturally with a hint of healthy pink running through. If he wore the right clothing, he might pass as a rugged figure, even if it was Naruto’s forte to portray that ideal rugged image. As Naruto’s eyes trailed down they landed on Sasuke’s perfect ass and he unconsciously hummed in delight. ‘Dat ass’ Naruto thought.

Sasuke turned mid-stretch and smirked when he had yet to capture Naruto’s eye contact. “I bought us ramen for dinner”

Bright blue eyes turned impossibly brighter, and finally made contacted with black orbs. “See? This is exactly the reason why I love you”

* * *

After finally getting Naruto’s lazy ass out of bed, the ramen waiting patiently on the small round kitchen table was slowly eaten by Sasuke and swallowed as quickly as possible by Naruto. Besides trying to fit all the ramen in his mouth at once, Naruto would had usually started talking to the other by now. However Sasuke was most definitely not fond of him trying to talk with his mouth full and had banned him from talking while eating, unless Naruto decided to eat at a normal human pace for a change. So while Naruto suffocated himself with ramen, his head started to tingle from a conversation he had with Sasuke a month, and the month before that, and the one before that. Though it always ended the same, Sasuke winning the argument, but this time he was going to try harder to win it. Naruto tipped the bowl directly into his mouth to claim the last drop of the ramen broth in his mouth before placing the now empty bowl on the wooden table. He glanced at the others bowl and raised a golden eyebrow at it only being barely half eaten.

Naruto shook the distraction and eyed his main attention. “So, we’ve been together for a while now-”

“No” Sasuke quickly cut off, Naruto frowned at the interruption.

“You don’t even know what I was gonna say”

“You were most likely wanting to tell Sakura about our relationship”

Naruto deadpanned while Sasuke continued to grab more noodles with his chopsticks. “How do you even kn-”

“I know because the last four times we had this conversation, you started it the exact same way”

Damn. “Ok so yeah, I do want to tell her. Come on Sasuke, she’s our teammate and she’s our friend”

“Mainly your friend,” Sasuke corrected after he swallowed. “She claims to still be in love with me Naruto, last time she ask if I would accompany her to dinner”

“Maybe she wanted to go as a fri-”

“She clarified that it would be a date”

Unfortunately, Sasuke did have a good point and even though he says the same thing almost every time, it is true. Sakura is persistent and does in fact ask him regularly. Now usually the conversation would end around here though Naruto voiced his earlier thought.

“And how will she ever learn to stop? Because you constantly saying no is clearly not doing the job. This is the other reason why I think we should tell her. One, she is ou-my friend and teammate,” he corrected himself before Sasuke could do it for him. “And secondly, she will finally get the picture and see that you are officially not interested in her and that you’re taken and no longer available”

Sasuke shook his head. “She will react badly Naruto, and what she will do is the part that worries me”

Naruto reach and placed his hand on Sasuke’s wrist, causing him to make eye contact. “Please Sasuke?” He pleaded.

Sasuke’s eyes diverted down as he sighed in defeat. “Fine Naruto, we will tell her but do not say I didn’t tell you so”

* * *

It would be close to an hour later when they heard a gentle knock on the front door. They both were laying on the couch, Naruto wanted to watch his favorite movie. Untangling himself from Sasuke’s octopus grip, paused the movie and then went for the door.

“Sakura?”

The pink haired kunoichi smiled gently. “Hi Naruto, I’m sorry for interrupting but I would have come to your office if the hospital wasn’t so busy.”

She continued to smile sweetly even though her features screamed exhaustion, she held a small square box wrapped in green paper and a light brown stringed bow to complete it. She was still in her clothes from when Naruto saw her last which was yesterday, she must have been at the hospital all night.

“Did you go home at all from when I last saw you?” Naruto voiced in concern.

She snorted. “Of course stupid! I was just too tired this morning to get a fresh set of clothes.” Well that answered that question. “So you gonna let me in or what?”

Embarrassed, Naruto quickly stepped aside, causing the door to open wider. “Ah! Sorry Sakura, yes. Come in.”

She cautiously walked in and spotted Sasuke quickly on the couch, causing her to stop mid-stride.

“Oh, Sasuke-kun,” hope bloomed in her green emerald eyes. “I didn’t know you were back?”

Sasuke glanced at Naruto and sighed at his pleading eyes staring back, Sasuke nodded in agreement, causing Naruto to light up.

“Sakura,” Naruto placed a hand on her shoulder. “Do you mind sitting down? We would like to tell you something”

Her face constructed with a mixture of confusion and curiosity as she hesitated towards the kitchen table. She sat down. “Is everything alright?”

Sasuke had gotten off from the couch to join her and Naruto at the table, both sitting across from her. It seems Naruto was most likely going to do all of the talking. “Of course Sakura, but we want to tell you something because as a friend, we trust you enough to tell our secret.”

A single pink eye brow rose. “Which is?”

Naruto took a deep needed breath, remembering how easy it was to tell Iruka. Remembering it being just the two of them at the ramen stall. He remembered the shock that overcame his mentors face and how a gentle smile graced his lips, happy that Naruto, who was once a small boy filled with loneliness and pain, found someone who he could be happy with. Iruka said that he was bit concerned that Naruto being with someone who had caused him years of pain, but it was fitting and understandable that it was Sasuke to be his partner. Naruto remembered staring in a daze, he didn’t even mention Sasuke’s name.

He exhaled his filling breath, he hoped it would be as easy as telling his teacher. Naruto scratched his cheek. “Umm, I’m not entirely sure how to say this”  
Sakura rolled her eyes as Sasuke sat there with wary patients and they were beginning to become thin. “Just spit it out dummy”

“Me and Sasuke are… um”

“What Naruto is trying to say,” Sasuke’s patients almost non-existent, he didn’t want this over and done with. “Is that we are in a relationship, which in my opinion is none of your concern”

Naruto whipped his head to Sasuke. “Seriously?”

“You were taking too fucking long!”

“Um,” Sakura chimed in softly. “I already know you two are friends and living together, is that all you really wanted to tell me?”

Sasuke stared blankly at her blindness while Naruto breathed a lighthearted chuckle, blue eyes held green as he leaned forward.

“No Sakura,” Naruto reached for Sasuke’s hand resting on the table and grasped it gently. “We are in a relationship. I am very much in love with him,” Naruto glanced back with bright eyes and leaned back in his chair, moving his face to come in contact with the other. Rubbing his nose in Sasuke’s cheek and then rested his forehead against the other, now blue eyes held black. “And he’s in love with me”

Naruto closed his eyes briefly before turning towards the young medic, hope gleamed bright in his eyes. “I know this must be a shock to you, but like I said before, as a friend I trust you enough with our secret”

Sakura was, as Naruto put it, shocked. This was most definitely not the way she imagined her day would come to. Her head started to swim in a dangerous cycle, she was clearly struggling on how to process the overwhelming information.

“Sakura?”

She must have phased out for a bit because Sasuke and Naruto were watching her now, Naruto was clear in concern Sasuke though was blank but, was that a hint of defense she could see? Sakura exhaled a nervous breath. “I think I need to go”

Sakura rose from her seat and Naruto copied her movements, neither muttered a word until she walked through and out the front door.

“I’ll come pass and see you tomorrow Sakura” She heard but continued walking, Naruto watched her until she was out of sight and then finally closed the door, he released a breath he didn’t even know he was holding.

“Do you feel better now?”

Naruto sighed, the irritation was clear in Sasuke’s tone. He leaned back against the door to face Sasuke who was still sitting in his chair, only his body had maneuvered to face the blond. “Come on Sasuke, don’t you feel at least a little better now that she knows?”

“No, but I know you do”

The raven pushed himself up and waltz to the door, autopilot kicked in as Naruto naturally wrapped his arms around Sasuke’s well known waist, and Sasuke smoothed his hand up Naruto sleeve to rest on the junction of his neck and shoulder. Black eyes watched the others frowned expression that was staring at his chest.

“Do you feel better now?” He gently repeated. A gentle smile pulled at Naruto’s lips and nodded. Sasuke leaned forward and pulled Naruto into a slow but deep kiss. ‘Sakura will come around,’ Naruto thought as he pushed himself off the door, his body thrived to be closer to the other. Only one more thought questioned through him before he decided to cease his thinking for the night.

‘Besides, what’s the worst that could happen?’

* * *

A small yet strong fist hammered into the thick log, worn and torn from countless other ninja’s in training….or rage. Tears flowed down pale reddened cheeks, her fist now had open wounds from her unrelenting rage, fueled by the burning adrenaline powering within her chest. ‘Sasuke, how could you?!’ The thought alone willed her to extract a burst of chakra to her fist, punching through the stump and shattering it to splinters.

This was her favorite training spot, it was secluded, a good mile away from any ears or eyes but when it was night like now, it was even harder to find unless one knew about it.  
Left standing in the remains of shattered wood, she bit her trembling lip and fell to her knees. She hugged her chest tightly, hoping that the tighter she held the more likely the pain will go away. She shut her eyes hope to find the solitude of the black, but was met with Naruto and Sasuke snuggling each other at the table. She quickly snapped her eyes open. No.

No, no, “no, no, no, no, NO!” She screamed. Sakura continued to break down, whaling and crying in denial. Sasuke was hers, she loves him and Naruto took him. Stole him.

Naruto had taken Sasuke from her.

A dark poison slithered within Sakura, her green eyes hardened and she wiped her tear stained cheeks. Her voice was low and tones with sincere ambition.

“If I can’t have Sasuke, then no one will”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. I hope I did ok. Please let me know what you think, it would be greatly appreciated. Oh and thank you for reading and have a splendid day! Or night, woo! Time zones!


	2. Sleeping Beauty

When Naruto awoke the next morning, he groaned at the curtains, annoyed at their poorly done job to block out the sun. The small gap at the side allowed the light to hit Naruto directly in the eye. ‘ _Well that’s unappreciated’_ came to the Hokage’s mind. He moved to roll on his back however was suddenly restricted when Sasuke’s arm draped over his waist tightened.

“Don’t move. Sleep” The sleeping raven voiced from behind.

Naruto smiled gently at Sasuke’s grogginess. The blond had learned that if Sasuke had the option to sleep in, he would take it, and it would only happen on his days off. Sasuke continued to leave the village to search for any remains of Kaguya, to make sure that she was really gone. Sometimes he was gone for days and sometimes gone for months, but he always came back. The raven had only returned yesterday from a month’s long leave and sleeping on nothing but dirt would put anyone in an eased mind to sleep in.

Naruto turned in the iron grip to face the holder and kissed him silently on the lips before holding his nose with his teeth. Naruto pulled back to laugh at Sasuke’s confused frown while still asleep. The blond leaned forward again to rub his nose against Sasuke’s to make his nose better from his little bite.

“Some of us have to go to work Sasuke” The statement caused the sleeping man to grunt. Naruto kissed him lazily before removing himself and set to get ready for the day. It would be twenty minutes later when he returns to the bed to kiss the still sleeping Sasuke above his brow and then made his way to the door.

He left in his casual orange pants and white t-shirt, leaving his Hokage cloak behind. Naruto had only one day off in his entire week, most of the time his work was filled with paper work that was usually left unattended. However when the paper work became too much, Shikamaru would suggest a day in the village, helping the people for the day, and at this hour of the morning it was always the fruit stalls. The suggested day of community service became a routine, now Naruto sees it as two days off in his week and honestly he wasn’t complaining.

He rounding the fourth corner finally reaching the first fruit stall. He smiled wide and eagerly waved at the owner, who was in clear distress.

“Hey Aito! Need some help?”

The Hokage’s recognizable voice caught his immediate attention and suddenly the owner wasn’t in a panic anymore.

* * *

It would be clocking past noon and Naruto had reached his fourth and last fruit stall of the day. He was moving creates with the owner’s grandson when his advisor appeared in front of the stall.

“Shikamaru?” The blond questioned, he continued placing the crate down in its located spot and turned to the grandson briefly. “Give me a minute yeah?”

He simply shrugged and proceeded to move another crate. Naruto turned his attention back to the other, who seemed a bit apprehensive. “What’s up? Miss me already?”

“The council wants to see you” Shikamaru announce.

‘ _Well that explains the look’_ Naruto thought and rolled his eyes, annoyed because meetings with the council never went well. “Right now, I assume?”

Shikamaru nodded, causing Naruto to sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose with his finger and thumb. He turned around to search for the owner, walking straight towards the back where he knew her relaxing chair was.

“Kaiya-san! I gotta go”

A small old lady was between pillow walls in a shape of a chair, her _relaxing chair,_ holding a cigarette loosely between her fingers. The lady smiled sweetly.

“Ok Naruto-kun, I’ll see you next week”

He smiled the same in return and waved as he walked away. “See you then,” almost out of the shop he yelled over his shoulder. “Bye Rei!” And with that last farewell the blonde was out of the shop.

He walked towards the tower, his pace slow and so was the others. Neither of them wanting to reach the building in a hurry.

“Do you know what it’s about?” Naruto asked, he received a shrug in response.

“I’m not sure, they told me only ten minutes ago that they wanted to see you”

The blonde groaned. “This can’t be good, maybe someone stole their lunch?”

The question caused Shikamaru to deadpan. “Yeah, and then they will strike at the thief with their reunited bread rolls,” sarcasm drip off his tongue, which made Naruto chuckle lightly.

“Heh, wouldn’t that be a sight”

They continued walking in a comfortable silence, that is, until the building was in their sight.

“Do you want me to accompany you?”

Naruto paused, contemplating the others offer. “Nah, should be fine. I’ll meet you at Ichiraku’s for lunch when I’m done, this shouldn’t take long”

Shikamaru shrugged, he lifted his hand in gesture of a wave and then proceeded to walk away. “Ramen it is, I’ll see you there”

The Hokage waved in return and continued walking towards the building. “Hopefully it’s nothing” he said quietly to himself with uncertainty.

* * *

When Naruto entered the room, he instantly felt the temperature drop. To be fair, the room always felt cold whenever the council was present. The familiar room was small and grey with the wall sized window as its only feature. The only furniture in the room was a round wooden table that contain four matching chairs. Three of those chairs were currently occupied by the awaiting council.

“You requested me?” Naruto asked as he shut the door behind him and sat in the remaining seat.

“Some new information has come to our attention that we simply cannot ignore” the old man directly across announced.

Naruto frowned, clear with confusion. “Is it life threatening to the village? Is Konoha in danger?” He question though unsure.

The council woman on his left shifted. “That depends on the answer you provide for our question”

The blond deadpanned, _‘these old farts keep talking in circles.’_ He cleared his throat. “And that question would be?”

“Are you in a romantic relationship with Uchiha Sasuke?”

Naruto stared wide eyed at the council woman, completely baffled by her question. He thought for a slight second that this was some joke, unfortunately their hard faces clearly stated that it was not. The Hokage opened and closed his mouth, shock and dread mixed in an icy cocktail in his stomach. He kept telling himself that they wouldn’t do anything bad to him or Sasuke, that the council will be understanding however useless and unconvincing it was.

“What?” the blond said quietly.

“Are you or are you not involved with Uchiha Sasuke?” She repeated.

His thoughts went inwards and his defensive side came out. “What does the nature of my relationships have to do with this?”

The woman’s gaze turned sharp. “The fact that you, a jinchuriki of the nine-tailed beast, may be in involved in a romantic relationship with an s-rank missing-nin who possesses the sharingan _and_ the rinnegan, _is_ a concern for us and the village and is not to be treated lightly”

Blue eyes hardened. “May I remind you that Sasuke is a _former_ missing-nin and is half responsible for saving the world that we are still thankfully living in,” Naruto stood causing the chair to scrape backwards, his insides boiled and his hands clenched into fist against the table. “And _I,_ have a very good friendship with Kurama when _you_ call him a beast-”

“You humanized that nine-tailed fox?!” The left council man raised.

“You continue to call him a beast and he did eventually become one because of it. You can’t rationalize with him when all you give him is your fear and disgust.” Naruto pinned him with blue eyes, though the old man threw back his own glare. The blond hadn’t heard Kuruma mentioned like that since he was young, arising the past like this was truly insulting to how much he has done for this village and to earn their respects.

“We are not here to discuss your relationship with the nine-tailed fox,” the other council man spoke in annoyance now. “We are here to discuss your relationship with Uchiha Sasuke, are you or are you not in a romantic relationship with him?”

Naruto hesitated, because this next answer would define his path as Hokage. Did he want to continue leading this village in a lie or the truth? He wasn’t ashamed of Sasuke and he wanted to tell everyone about him, but what made him really halt on his answer was what would happen after he answered.

Naruto inhaled deeply and released. “I am”

The council woman straightened her back. “Then I hear by announce that you Uzumaki Naruto, are to be removed from office effective immediately and for Uchiha Sasuke to be brought in for question and temporary imprisonment for tampering with the nine-tailed beast”

The blonde paled dramatically and took an unconscious step back. “Wha- you- you can’t do that! To me _or_ to Sasuke!”

She ignored the now former Hokage. “Any help given to Uchiha Sasuke will result in your own imprisonment”

“ **You cannot imprison Sasuke!** ”

“The fact _you_ admitted you are in fact involved with him romantically is evidence of his control, proving his influence and leaving you to be incompetent as Hokage.” The council woman took a deep breath to calm herself. “Now that we are done here, send in the prison guards that will obtain Uchiha Sasuke on your way out”

 _Well, fuck that!_ Thinking only of Sasuke and his need to leave the village now was all that came to mind. No longer caring of the council’s thoughts, Naruto turned and swung the door open and started to sprint down the corridor with enough momentum to exit out of the large window at the end. Landing on the steel roof top he headed straight for his apartment where he was sure Sasuke would still be. He would usually come back to pick up Sasuke for lunch.

It would be only a short minute later that Naruto would be running up his stairs and burst through the door, turning around to find Sasuke calmly sipping tea in the kitchen, leaning casually against the bench.

Worry consumed Sasuke immediately when he saw panic drawn on Naruto’s features. “Naruto, what’s wrong?”

Naruto was over to him in the speed of light, “You need to leave. Now”

The raven frowned in puzzlement. “What? Why?”

“The council knows about us,” Naruto gripped the other’s shoulders. “They think that you’re with me because you want Kurama, they want to lock you in a cell because of this. But I know that they only want control over you or they want to-to-an-and I won’t be able to do anything because I’m not-I’m not-” Naruto suddenly stopped to take deep breaths, his chest was incredibly tight and his lungs burned, like all the oxygen had gone.

Sasuke quickly put his cup down on the bench behind him and put his hand on the others chest, feeling the rapid heartbeat.

“Naruto I need you to follow my breathing” His dark eye focused on blue. Sasuke begun to breathe out loud, he continued for what felt like a long minute until Naruto was following his breathing and he was calm. Through the panic from when he enter was still fresh in his eyes.

“I need you to leave Sasuke, I can’t set this right if I’m worried about what they will do to you in prison”

Sasuke scoffed and glanced to the side. “That’s _if_ I go”

“You will, because I can’t stop them anymore”

Sasuke frowned. “Anymore?” He repeated.

“I’m- I’m not Hokage anymore” Naruto explained with a stuttering sadness that was clear in his voice.

The information caused Sasuke to look back at blue eyes, he was stunned for a few seconds, but it quickly turned to anger.

“After everything you’ve done?”

At that moment, the security details from the prison came through the door, four of then stood in the room. Prepared in their fighting stances. Naruto turned in their direction, though made sure Sasuke was behind him. While keeping eye contact with the guards, he turned his head slightly, indicating to Sasuke.

“I’ll come for you when I can”

“Naruto no I’m s-”

“Please Sasuke,” the blonde pleaded, turning his head a bit more. The paused was stretched between them until he felt a hand rest gently on his right shoulder blade.

“I would never leave you again.”

The comment caused Naruto to smirk. “Good.”

Sasuke removed his hand to reach for his cup of tea behind him. “Go!” Sasuke threw the cup full of tea at the guards, Naruto dashed forward while Sasuke went for the bedroom and shut the door behind him. The guards all shoved at Naruto, trying to get through. Naruto only defended when the guards tried to follow Sasuke, he continued to defend against the four guards, blocking punches and kicks, until he felt a tingle in his chakra. That’s when Naruto stopped, stepped back and raised his hands.

“He’s gone” Naruto announced.

One officer who seemed to be in charge grabbed one of Naruto’s hands and moved behind him. “Get on your knees,’ he ordered. The other three officers rushed to the bedroom.

Naruto’s movements complied with the command. The officer forcibly moved his arms so his hands joined behind him, and then he proceeded to lock him in chakra cuffs. “I never thought you would betray the village”

Blue eyes glanced up to the guard, “I didn’t”

The officer frowned, “Then why would you protect Uchiha Sasuke when the council seeks his arrest?” the question caused Naruto to bring his eyes forward to stare at the couch, in clear self-settlement to keep his mouth shut. Even though the council knows about his relationship with Sasuke, he still had to be careful before he blurted it out for the entire village to hear.

The guard waited for an answer but never got one, he was then distracted when his comrades came back into the room. “Anything?”

All three of them shook their heads, Sasuke was gone.

* * *

They left the apartment in formation with a guard on either side of him, each holding an arm in a firm grip, a guard monitoring from behind and the guard in charge in front, leading the way. Naruto knew where they were taking him, to the holding cells under the Hokage tower, the actual prison was not within the village walls and would take more than a day’s walk to get there. Walking to the tower would take five minutes, however getting there means they would have to walk through the heart of the village, meaning everyone would see their beloved Hokage in custody.

Everyone who saw the oncoming officers would stop in their tracks when the recognized the offender. Naruto only blocked everything out, his brows frowned, and his eyes were directed at the leading guard’s feet, unfocused and spacing out. The village people who saw gasped at the sight, some went as far as to yell out they have the wrong person or he didn’t do it.

All Naruto could think was this felt like the longest walk he has ever done.

* * *

Forty-five minutes. For forty-five minutes Shikamaru sat at the ramen booth and wondered where on earth Naruto was. He was beginning to fret, impatience started to ease in because Naruto never took this long at the council and if he ever did, it would be because Naruto was fighting for something the council was against and Shikamaru would be there to back him up with facts.

“Is this seat taken?”

The voice surprised him, he glanced up to see only a single eye squinting back at him.

“I guess so” Shikamaru shifted himself so he would be facing the other more.

“I’m assuming you’re waiting for Naruto?” Kakashi asked a he sat down.

“Yeah and he’s late”

Kakashi snorted in amusement. “Well he’s probably with Sasuke since he came back yesterday”

The other grunted in agreement. “It would explain why he’s taking so long”

Between Naruto and Sasuke’s relationship, only a total of four people knew; Shikamaru, Kakashi, Iruka and now Sakura. Shikamaru being not only his advisor but also his close friend, they felt it to be a safe choice to tell him and the both equally trusted him. It was something Naruto felt inclined to let him know before he became the leader of a village and the other was going to help him run it, so Shikamaru was told only days away from Naruto being Hokage.

Naruto told Iruka because besides Sasuke, he was the closest family figure he had alive and he wanted his two most precious people to get along. Five years later and they only just started to have _nice_ small conversations with each other. Sasuke was more than willing to allow Iruka in, however Iruka was struggling constantly with the idea of Naruto being with someone who had not only put him through years of tremendous pain and has tried to kill him on multiple occasions. Which Sasuke couldn’t blame him, Naruto was the closest thing to a son to Iruka.

Kakashi though was the first to know, he knew from within the first couple of weeks, but very much against their will. His constant of sticking his nose into their business and being incredibly perverted, would make anyone click at the signs that _normal_ people would usually over look. Then there’s Sakura who only had been told last night.

Though when it was only the three that knew, they would often have dinner at Iruka’s house. It was a strange gathering with people that would usually never be seen together, though nevertheless Shikamaru was most surprised with how well he got along with all of them as a group and individually. 

Shikamaru raised a single eyebrow. “Does this mean all I’m going to hear this week is Naruto complain about how his former teacher keeps annoying him with sexual jokes and showing up at inappropriate times to his apartment?” Humor smoothed in his voice.

The silver haired man lightly laughed. “It is fun to do, you should try it sometime”

The suggestion only turned his brain to Naruto then complaining about him, he quickly shook his head at the thought. “No thanks, too troublesome”

“Ah, that’s a shame. There is much joy in em-”

“Shikamaru! There you are!” Kiba interrupted, capturing both of their attention at how alarmed Kiba seemed, though they both didn’t show it and just look as bored as before he showed.

“What is now Kiba?” Shikamaru asked.

Kiba stared dumbfound at the other. “You don’t know? Everyone’s talking about”

Shikamaru frowned. “About what?”

“Naruto? He was arrested about an hour ago. I came to find you so you could tell me what actually happened” Kiba explained to a now wide eyed Shikamaru. The shocked advisor glance at Kakashi before they both suddenly moved in sync, running past and startling Kiba, running towards the Hokage tower.

* * *

Naruto sat on the stone bed, leaning against the matching wall, he watched and listened to the drops falling out of the small rusted pipe in the top right corner of his cell. The dark grey stones decorated his cell which was chakra enforced, so Naruto to use his chakra would be pointless. The only air he received was from the cross-hatched metal drain lid from above, small yet could easily fit a child through was placed in the center of the ceiling.

He turned his head to the corridor when he heard familiar voices, yelling and demanding, and a second later Shikamaru and Kakashi walked around the corner, right up to the bars of Naruto’s metal barred wall.

“Why are you in here Naruto?” Shikamaru asked, clearly aggravated by the situation.

“The council found out about us,” the blonde explained softly. “They’ve come to concluded that Sasuke is only fucking me to control Kurama.” Naruto scoffed and turned his head away to stare hatefully at the wall in front, the idea of Sasuke doing that was still beyond ridiculous to him.

Both of Shikamaru’s eyebrows rose and then he sighed. “Seriously?”

“Then why are you in here?” Kakashi questioned, his single brow furrowing in the process of it all.

“Because,” Naruto relaxed his head back against the wall behind him as his blue tired eyes turned to his former teacher. “They wanted to arrest him, and I wouldn’t let it happen”

Silence filled the cell, both processes the information until Shikamaru questioned. “Do you know how the council found out?”

Naruto snorted. “Sakura, though I really do hope I’m wrong”

Now it was Shikamaru’s brows to furrow. “How? She doesn’t know about you two”

“We told her last night. She’s my team mate and I felt like she deserved to know”

His former teacher sighed, he crossed one arm across his stomach and rest his other arm on it to rub his face beneath his mask. “You should talked to me about it first, because as bright as she is, she becomes incredibly naive when it comes to Sasuke”

“You sure it’s her?” Shikamaru asked, ignoring Kakashi’s complaint.

Naruto hesitated. “I’m… not sure. Could you bring her down here?”

“Yeah, shouldn’t be a problem”

“I’ll get her” Kakashi sighed, already turning around and walking back the way he came.

Shikamaru turned to watch Kakashi, still turned that way even though he left. “Do you really think it was her?” He threw the question behind him.

Naruto was watching Kakashi as well. “I really hope not” he responded in all honesty.

“What about you Naruto?”

Naruto glanced to the others back, puzzled by his question. “What about me?”

“Well in theory, the Hokage is the last person the council locks up.” The advisor turned back around to make eye contact with his friend.

“I’m apparently unfit to lead because I’ve been _tampered_ with” Naruto lift his hands to create quotation marks.

Shikamaru snorted, he then pulled out a cigarette and proceeded to light it. When he awoke this morning, he hoped his day would be peaceful and at ease, not in this eventful chaotic mess that seems to be only the beginning of long chains of continuous headaches.

* * *

“Sakura-chan, someone is here to see you. They say it’s important.” One of the nurses announced around the door.

Sakura sighed and she detached herself from her stethoscope. “Take them to my office, I’ll be there in a minute.” She moved to end of the bed to pick up the clip board of the patient, filling in a few final details. Once she had filled all the correct information she headed to her office to see her important visitor. She entered the room and thought she had been tricked when she saw no one there, but soon removed that thought when she felt a familiar chakra signature coming from her turned chair.

“What are you doing here Kakashi?” She asked, clearly unimpressed by his appearance.

Kakashi swirled around in the chair, his one eye displayed innocence. “Do you mind coming with me for a minute?”

“Where are we going?”

Kakashi gasp in fake excitement, though Sakura wouldn’t know the difference. “It’s a surprise”

Worried about time she glanced up at the clock on her wall and then back at her former teacher. “You have fifteen minutes”

Kakashi threw up his hands. “Yay!” He quickly formed a signed and in a cloud of smoke, he was standing next to Sakura. He grabbed hold of her arm. “Let’s go!” And they were gone in another cloud of smoke to appear in front of the main cell door, leading to other cells including Naruto’s. Kakashi opened the door for her and gestured his hand in the direction.

“After you”

Green eyes glanced around, taking in her surroundings. Clearly confused but she silently followed Kakashi’s direction, but she came to a sudden stop when she rounded the corner, Shikamaru leaned against the stone wall behind him and Naruto glared at Sakura through the bars. Naruto moved to stand and hold a bar in each hand, while Kakashi entered and closed the door behind him, he then placed a hand on Sakura’s back to guide her forward, she went willingly.

When Sakura was a couple of meters away from the occupied cell she came to a halt, eyeing the cell guest. Kakashi kept moving until he was on the opposite wall to Shikamaru, mirroring his position. Naruto released the bars and slipped his hands through and joined them together in the free air.

“Did you do it Sakura?” Naruto asked quietly, but to Sakura it felt like he yelled.

Sakura wasn’t nervous, in fact she appeared bored and slightly confused. “Did I do what?”

Blue eyes hardened, his tone and expression matching to the council only an hour ago. “Did you tell the council about me and Sasuke?”

The question and topic in general, turned Sakura’s face to stone. “I did, this morning. The council wasn’t convinced at first but then I threw in the idea of Sasuke’s sharingan and your demon sealed inside of you and the ‘ _what if’_ and they were suddenly concerned”

Kakashi and Shikamaru were both equally as shocked and disappointed at the damage Sakura had caused. Naruto went from stoic to crushed, his own friend had betrayed in such a degree it turned his insides unpleasantly.

Hurt plastered clearly on the blonde’s features. “Why? Why would you do that?”

Sakura glanced down to her feet, the anger from last night was still boiling inside of her but only now was it surfacing again.

“Because you took him from me.” Her voice was quiet and barely controlled.

Tanned hands moved back to grip the bars again. “So in an act of jealousy and some twisted revenge, you told the council?” Naruto’s voice started to raise, his temper following.

The pink haired kunoichi snapped her head back up. “Because you took him from me!” She repeated in rage.

“ **He was never yours** ,” Naruto spat back, his temper now locked in at its peak. “Because of you, Sasuke is on the run _again,_ and I lost a job that I loved, and now I’m in here because _you_ cannot deal with the fact that he chose to be with me instead of you.” He took a needed breathe before continuing, his voice calmer this time. “Sasuke’s slowly making a life here, his trips are becoming shorter and he stays are growing longer, I just want him to be happy Sakura and if being with me makes him happy, even if I didn’t feel the same way he does for me, I would make that sacrifice for him”

Green eyes glanced down in thought, before they moved back to hold Naruto’s blue eyes once more. “If he will never be with me, then he will never be with anyone”

The threat was clear, putting all three of them on an edge and throwing them off her usual brightness. Naruto released the bar and took a hazed step back.

“What will you do?”

Their eyes held in silence for a second longer before she turned away and started walking back the way she came. Dread crept its way through the blonde’s heart, an unsettling bad feeling drape him completely and with that, he couldn’t stop himself from barging forward, only to be blocked by the bars.

“What will you do Sakura?!” Naruto yelled, but was ignored once again as the pink haired kunoichi left the room. Naruto harshly fell to his knees, breaking out in hysteria, the only support he had was the iron bars he gripped and was currently leaning his head on. Shikamaru and Kakashi approached the bars, they could only watch as there wasn’t much they could do. Naruto took a deep breath to try and calm himself.

“Shikamaru, I need you to find a way to get me out of here and Kakashi,” Naruto glanced up to look at his old teacher. “I want you to keep an eye on Sakura, because Sasuke will approach her soon and I’m worried of what she will do”

Shikamaru nodded and turned to the way out. “Yeah I’ll watch her” Kakashi confirmed before following the other out.

* * *

It would be two hours later, that Naruto was released from the holding cell. Shikamaru had called an emergency council meeting and told them thoroughly that locking up the former Hokage didn’t look good on their part and how it’s slowly putting the villages in destress to see their favourite Hokage to be treated in such a criminal way, and eventually the agreed to released Naruto. However the hunt for Sasuke still continued to be in their favour.

Naruto and Shikamaru exited the Hokage tower and onto the street, the sun was still high in the sky. As they walked through the village, he was approach by all who was worried about the earlier events, asking him what he had done and if he was alright.

“Wait, listen. I will explain everything tomorrow morning at ten in front of the Hokage tower” Naruto announce, which apparently was enough for them. The wished him well before carrying on in their own separate ways.

“You sure you want to tell everyone?”

Naruto shook his head at his friends concern. “At this rate they’ll find out eventually, so why wait? And plus I’d rather they hear it from me”

Shikamaru contemplated the situation of the announcement. “I don’t know if the village people will be in the supporting favour, but if they are then that’s very good. I know those who are a shinobi will be supporting, they will either not care or suspect it already.”

Naruto deadpanned at the last comment and turned to eye his friend. “Suspect it already?”

“Well, you and Sasuke have the whole ‘ _saving the world_ ’ criteria,” Shikamaru shrugged. “You both have admitted out loud that you needed each other on multiple occasions and oh, where does Sasuke stay when he returns?” He added smugly, causing the blonde to redden a bit in the cheeks.

“I swear we weren’t that obvious”

The muttered remark caused Shikamaru to smile. “The ones who do suspect probably didn’t say anything because they know what you’ve done for all of us and what you’ve been through, and they are more than willing to let you two be together because it makes you happy, and they know it’s what you deserve”

Naruto’s face turned sappy, he threw his arm around the other neck and forced his head to him, hugging him tightly. “Oh baby, you know just what to say to make me feel so warm and fuzzy for you”

“Let me go you thick headed imbecile!”

The blonde laughed at Shikamaru struggling against him, he held him a second longer before releasing him.

* * *

The sun had bid farewell for the day and the full moon was on the rise, breathing in the clear night sky. Sakura’s office was dark, the only light was from the moon, it wasn’t much but enough to illuminate the room. She was over at the shelf picking kunai out of a special weapons box with her glove covered hand. She felt her eyebrow twitch uncontrollably, it was her body’s way to notify her that someone was sneaking up on her. She twisted and threw the weapon in the direction she felt the presence. Sasuke would be almost be blended into the room, if it weren’t for his bare pale hand catching the kunai in the ray of moon light, but also his spinning sharingan and rinnegan eyes. Sasuke twirled the weapon.

Sakura’s heart raced, she calmly moved to behind her desk. Keeping distance and objects between them. “Can I help you Sasuke-kun?”

Sasuke scoffed. “The last thing I want is your help, why would you do that to Naruto?”

She shrugged innocently. “I didn’t do anything.” The kunai suddenly embedded into the front of her desk, the unsuspected thud caused her to jolt.

“Don’t lie to me Sakura, why did you tell the council?” His tone was sharp and threatening, he was beginning to feel lightheaded.

“Because I love you Sasuke-kun”

Her confession only caused Sasuke to shake his head, denying her once again. “So in an act of your so called ‘ _love_ ,’ you turned our lives upside down?” Maybe he shouldn’t had moved his head, because now the room was beginning to spin.

Sakura tilted her head as she watched the other put his hand to his head. “Do you know why I always wear gloves, Sasuke-kun?”

His sharingan had turned off, and he begun to sway as he tried to focus on green eyes. “What did you do to me?”

She ignored him, confident that he won’t hurt her now she moved around to the front of her desk and pulled out the kunai from her desk. Sasuke fell to his knees, his insides felt as though he was freezing up.

“I wear gloves because I coat my weapons in an ointment that puts whoever touches it, into a deep sleep. The same state as someone in a coma to put it clearly.” She turned and crouched down to Sasuke’s eye level. “And the only way to wake is with an antidote, otherwise they will fall into an endless sleep”

Sasuke was shaking, trying to fight it but it was useless. His body had already succumbed. He fell and laid limp on the floor. Still in her crouching position, she pushed him over to lay on his back, her hand gently moved hair from his face and then rested it on his cheek.

“Good night, Sasuke-kun”

She raised herself from her position and made her way to her desk, she opened her top draw and reached in. She pulled back when she heard an audible poof and saw a cloud of white smoke. Kakashi single eye widened at his former student unconscious on the ground.

Neither said a word as they eyed each other, she sighed as she closed her draw and sat down in her chair.

Kakashi continued to watch her before dropping his head, he knelt down to lift Sasuke.

“His choices have never altered your decisions to this degree before Sakura, I hope you catch yourself before you go too far beyond forgiving” with that said, he left in the same fashion that he arrived.

Her eyes spaced on the smoke and then on nothing when it evaporated. He was right, of course, however that was not the information she collected.

‘ _I’ll have to be more careful’_

* * *

Needless to say, Iruka was calmly enjoying his rice quietly for a change. As much as he loved a busy life filled with people he cared about, he still appreciated a quiet meal every once in a while. Which is why his rice spilled everywhere when he jumped in his seat when Kakashi suddenly teleported in unannounced.

“Kakashi! How many times-” Iruka paused mid-sentence, concern pushed out his annoyed features. “What’s the matter with Sasuke?”

“That’s what we need to work out” Kakashi moved towards the couch.

“Bring him this way” Iruka went in front and guided him to the unoccupied spare bedroom, he held the door opened to usher them in. Kakashi placed Sasuke on the bed.

“What happened? Why didn’t you take him to the hospital instead?”

Kakashi sighed and went ahead to explain the earlier events. Iruka’s expression shifted from confused, to hurt, and then landed on anger. A face that was truly uncommon on the gentle nin.

“Clearly this needs to be thought through properly before we can proceed forward, go and fetch Shikamaru and Naruto, I’ll look over him and do my best to work out what’s wrong with him” Iruka ordered, but Kakashi agreed by nodding his head and was gone once more.

Retrieving the two was easy for Kakashi, Naruto was over at Shikamaru’s house helping him with what to say at tomorrow’s public announcement. The stress in Kakashi’s visible eye caused Naruto’s stomach to drop when he mentioned he found Sasuke. Of course his former sensei took the short cut through teleportation, while the other two nin travelled over the roof tops though they were there in no time. Kakashi was waiting for them by holding the front door opened. Naruto could hear his heart pound in his ears as he hurried through his former teacher’s apartment, he aimed for the known spare room where the door was ajar and a small light struggled out. He swung the door the rest of the way and paused in his step as he forgot to breathe, remembering how his lungs and feet worked, he inhaled a shaky breath and then step by step made his way to the side of the small bed that was occupied.

Naruto knelt down to be on equal eye level with the sleep man, his gaze focusing on Sasuke’s calm face. “What’s wrong with him?” Naruto asked quietly, though the deafening silence of the room made it seem his question sounded as if it had been yelled.

Iruka hesitated, thrown off by the softness of his pupil’s voice. “From what Kakashi has told me, it sounds like Sakura has slipped him a sort of drug, and by his state it would seem it only touched his skin. I have a feeling it could have been worse if it was inserted into him”

Naruto reached for Sasuke’s hand, and grasped it firmly. “Iruka sensei?”

“Hm?’

“Would it be ok if I stayed the night?” blue eyes finally moved and to the man who he was questioning, whose entire gesture that had been pent with worry, relaxed for the first time since Kakashi arrived.

“Of course, Naruto”

 Kakashi cleared his throat. “Well, I think we could all use some rest, we’ll meet back here tomorrow morning”

“Agreed” Shikamaru answered, who had been watching silently the entire time, turned and made his way for the door. Kakashi waved before the cloud of smoke took him.

Iruka reached a hand over to clasp on Naruto’s shoulder. “It will be ok Naruto, Sasuke will be ok”

The calm words did but little to comfort him, he smiled sadly to his old teacher. “Thanks Iruka”

With that final said, Iruka raised himself from the ground. He picked out a blanket for Naruto before leaving the room, shutting the door behind him. Naruto waited until he could longer hear movement and the light shining under the door had disappeared entirely, to twist around and switch off the lamp, leaving the room dark to only be bathed in the moonlight of half shut blinds. He threw the blanket evenly over Sasuke and then lifted the side so he could slip in on his side, Naruto reached for his hand once more to rest over the sleeping man’s chest and held it tightly. His eyes never leaving Sasuke’s closed ones, he looked so calm, he always did when we was asleep, like he was never filled with such raged revenge in his life.

The emotional roller-coaster of the day was finally crashing down on Naruto, how this could have all been avoided if he wasn’t so stubborn, if he just had listened to Sasuke. Guilt was in overdrive and fear had punched him, a prickling feeling started at his eyes and his throat became thick.

Naruto sniffed. “I’m so sorry Sasuke” he closed his eyes and buried his face in the side of Sasuke’s face. “I’m sorry Sasuke, I didn’t mean for this to happen,” his voice barley a whisper.

With today’s events taking its toll, Naruto eventually fell asleep by the lull of Sasuke’s soft breathing beside him with now dried tears staining his cheeks.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! So I have a habit of doing things at a bad time like for example: being in the mood to write a story right before midterm exams and then wanting to keep writing but STUDY! But they’re over now *yay!* and now I’m currently on fall break (why does Murica call it fall? Like it’s called autumn back home), so I was able to write and update. The next chapter I will have to take my time because of uni life, so I’m going to guess…. A month or two until the next update. If it helps, I don’t post a chapter until I have at least a thousand words of the next, so I do have a start.  
> I hope you guys are enjoying yourselves and this story, and if you feel like it, please tell what you think. See ya till next time!


	3. Unconscious Survival

Six years ago

_._

_It was night when Naruto arrived back at his apartment, his hand occupied with a full brown paper bag of groceries. He couldn’t help the sheer anxiety that washed over him with the sight before him when he stepped through the door. The couch was rolled back up into its original position, the coffee table back to where it was and, Sasuke was nowhere to be seen. Naruto’s whole energy just dropped._

_That is, until he felt an interruption in his chakra. The source of it came from the roof. He quickly placed the brown bag on the kitchen bench, and head back out the door he came through to jump onto the roof. He found Sasuke sitting in the middle of the flat concrete roof. The sky had some occasional dark grey cloud float by but the stars shun brightly, captivating Sasuke’s gaze._

_Naruto moved slowly and sat beside his friend only a foot apart, gazing at the sky as well. The blonde assumed the raven had a shower since his choice of clothes had changed to black pants and a loose long sleeved top, the smell that one gets from travelling for a long period of time had also evaporated. Naruto was in the same category of casual clothes, orange pants and a baggy black t-shirt, though Naruto still had his shoes on while Sasuke went bare foot._

_“I keep forgetting how many stars there are” Naruto stated, he had calmed back down when Sasuke came into his view. Sasuke hummed in agreement with the statement._

_Naruto keep reliving last night’s conversation. Sasuke always sent Naruto a message a couple of days before informing him when he was going to return and usually, Naruto was waiting at the main village gate for him. Usually. This time he had not. Sasuke was left puzzled as to why his friend didn’t show, not only had he been gone for almost six months but he always stayed at Naruto’s when he returned. Even when he knocked on Naruto’s door, he answered embarrassed and even a little ashamed that he left his friend hanging. When Sasuke asked why, Naruto took a deep breath and explained his main events of the past six months that changed his perspective and opened his eyes._

_Naruto had finally accepted a date with Hinata, even though it caused an unknown stir in the pit of Sasuke’s stomach he ignored it for his friend’s happiness, though it wasn’t approval Naruto was seeking. Rejecting Hinata wasn’t what threw Sasuke off into a spinning world of bewilderment. No what threw him off was that it opened Naruto’s eyes to his feelings towards him. Naruto knew Sasuke was stunned but he also knew that the raven liked to thoroughly think long term or permanent situations through, so he bid his uncertain goodnight, and hoped his friend will still be here the next day. He presented Sasuke with an option; to let them try, to see if there was in fact anything intimate between them and if there wasn’t, they would continue on as if nothing had been said, Naruto would be very disheartened if it was the second outcome, however he valued Sasuke’s friendship and especially his happiness more than his own._

_Naruto started to fidget under the growing silence, he was debating if he should bring up last night’s subject or just wait for Sasuke to do it._

_“What is it exactly that you want from me Naruto?” Sasuke asked quietly, unknowingly beating the blonde’s thoughts to the punch, causing blue eyes to roll at the timing. He felt a lot more confident than last night, now that his feelings were up in the air._

_Naruto turned his head to watch the other. “What do you mean what do I want?”_

_“I don’t know if I can give you what you’re asking of me” Sasuke’s gaze landed on Naruto._

_The blonde’s eyes softened and a gentle smile graced his lips. “You’re more than enough Sasuke, I see all your strengths but more importantly I see your flaws too. I know you’re not perfect and honestly, I’d be angry if you were” his smile turned cheeky, and transformed back to its previous gentleness. The quiet of the streets filled around them for a while, until Sasuke spoke._

_“How much have you seen of the world?”_

_Naruto raised an eyebrow at the off topic question, but then he scratched the back of his head in thought. “Well I think a fair bit to be honest, though I was training for most of it and Pervy-Sage would only stop to perv on the girls in the baths”_

_Sasuke snorted, he shifted to lean on his hand resting on the concrete. “So you were in a similar situation as me”_

_“Your teacher was a perv too? I mean they were team mates at one point”_

_“No,” Sasuke breathed a small laugh. “I was too focused on my mission to see what was truly there, and you were too focused on training”_

_“To get you back”_

_They both held eye contact, lingering as their cheeks lightened in a soft pink._

_“Exactly,” the raven cleared his throat at the sudden dryness. “I’ve seen quite a bit of it now, and I think there’s a lot out there that you should see”_

_“I don’t know, I’ve already seen a lot of it”_

_“Yes, but not all”_

_Naruto mentally took a step back, trying to de-word the other’s puzzle. He gave up pretty quickly. “What is it exactly you’re saying?”_

_Black eyes rolled, clearly seeing the blonde confused. “I’m asking you, if you would travel with me”_

_Naruto was stunned, he did not expect a request like that at all._

_“So will you, come with me Naruto?”_

_He gaped like a fish. Sasuke was asking him to travel with him by his side, and all Naruto could do was react like a goddamn fish. He mentally shook himself and swallowed._

_“Can I- can I say yes but another day?”_

_“Another day?”_

_“Yes- hey cut that face out and let me explain. There’s a lot I want and need to change around here, just-” Naruto stopped himself and sighed, he brushed his fingers through his hair. “I have to change the system here as much as I can. People in the village, my friends even think I’m a hero, and I get that but it doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten how they treated me when they just thought of me as a demon vessel. I remember the pain they put me through and I was just a kid! Then there’s the decision that was ordered out with your clan.” He sighed, clearly not fond of remembering earlier times, though he breathed a light chuckled to himself while shaking his head as some sort of comfort to himself._

_“I want this to be a place where discrimination is at the brink of non-existence, where the justice system is thorough and solves the problems with minimal casualties, so a situation like your clan’s massacre never happens again. A place where lying to cover the truth stops and people who are in need get the right help and not treated like their lives are worth less than the dirt on the ground. But most importantly, I want- I want Konoha to be a place that you can even consider coming back without fear of repetition, self-destruction and hate.”_

_Naruto held his gaze. “I want you to have a home again, because you deserve it.” His hand moved to be placed over Sasuke’s hand. “I really would love to just leave with you”_

_Sasuke continued to watch with calculating eyes. Naruto talked about becoming Hokage non-stop back in the old days of team 7, he thought Naruto moved that dream to second place when he started the chase after Sasuke, and half way through that speech he doubted for a second that was true. However, thinking over every detail Naruto explained only seconds ago, Sasuke still couldn’t believe that after everything, and with the second ideal dream Naruto has as Hokage was currently so incredibly close to coming true, Sasuke was still amazed by how his best friend was still willing to put him first. Naruto wants to become the Hokage so he can create a comfortable home for Sasuke again._

_Sasuke eyes there joined hands. “But another day?”_

_Naruto nodded knowing his friend didn’t need to look up to know the answer. Naruto watched Sasuke questioningly as he continued to gaze at their hands. They were silent enough they could vaguely hear someone laughing loudly a few streets away._

_“You know I will hold you to that?” Sasuke’s features had cleared to a contempt smile. Black eyes met blue, and it was all it took for Naruto to grin._

_“Yeah I know, but you’ll always have me”_

_Naruto couldn’t prevent the pink that blossomed on his cheeks when he felt Sasuke rearrange their hands from Naruto’s hand resting on top to now having his fingerings intertwined with the other. He felt his eyes widened, Sasuke continued to smile gently towards him._

_“I do now”_

* * *

Now

.

“So I take it the public announcement is being put on hold for now?”

Shikamaru paused in his chewing to glance up at his wife, who was currently cooking herself an omelette. “Announcement?”

Temari looked over her shoulder. “Weren’t you and Naruto talking about it yesterday?”

Ah. He almost had forgotten about last night’s conversation. Temari had come home to find the two talking intently, which of course peaked her interest. Naruto started to fidget when he finished explaining his situation, but Temari just shrugged like she had heard it many times before and sat down at the table with them, leaving Naruto gob smacked and then left mumbling under his breath. Conveniently, when she left to make tea is when Kakashi showed and everything was forgotten. She was asleep by the time he got back.

Shikamaru swallowed his food. “Yeah for now it seems, we’re gathering as much information as we can before meeting at Iruka’s place at twelve”

“But why are you with-holding it?”

“Because Naruto is definitely not in a current state to talk in public”

Temari frowned. “Why? What’s wrong with him?”

“Kakashi found Sasuke unconscious in Sakura’s office, he hasn’t woken since”

Shikamaru’s bluntness caused her to stare plainly at him. “Are they both ok?”

“Sasuke is just in a deep sleep by the looks of it”

“And Naruto?”

He hesitated, remembering last night’s events. “He’s… suffering”

Empathy covered her, before she could comment back there was a knock on the door. She rolled her eyes and got up to answer it since she knew her husband wouldn’t.

“Kiba?”

“Hey. Is Shikamaru here?”

Temari sighed before stepping aside to let the other in. He thanked her while he walked past and straight to the kitchen, where he knew his friend would be eating. Though Shikamaru only raised an eyebrow.

“You don’t know?”

“Heh. I was hoping you could tell me, since you kinda ran off yesterday”

Now is was Shikamaru’s turn to sigh. “What are your thoughts on Naruto and Sasuke?”

“Aren’t they shagging each other?”

Kiba meant it as a joke, but with a few seconds silence his jaw dropped. “Wait, seriously? So all this time they had actually been together? Man, I kinda had my suspicions and oh god, all that time I made fun of Naruto! But…” Kiba eyed the couple. “What does that have to do with Naruto getting arrested?”

“The council found out” Temari answered, standing behind Shikamaru.

“And now they want Sasuke and Naruto to go away?”

“Precisely”

“Seriously? That’s so fucking stupid”

The other two nodded in agreement. Kiba took the seat opposite to them and leaned forward.

“So then what have you guys got in play?”

Shikamaru shrugged. “Honestly? Not much, the most we had was telling the village the truth”

“Hmm” Kiba scratched his chin, “Maybe not tell them straight up, you could always tell the shinobi’s first, especially the ones that already know Naruto closely, and Sasuke with the few people he knows, and then get them to spread the word, even plan a day where we all go to the council to tell them how stupid they are”

“That’s… actually not that bad of an idea” Shikamaru murmured, he craned his neck back. “Temari, could you convince Gaara to come down?”

She nodded. “Yeah, anything involving Naruto he’ll most likely come for”

“So it would be that easy eh?” Kiba showed his hands up to match with his shrug.

Shikamaru pinch the bridge of his nose. “Unfortunately no, that would probably only get Naruto his seat back. But it could also be completely useless if we don’t know the real reason why the council made such a steep decision in the first place”

Kiba puffed out as he leaned back in his seat, he watched as Temari leaned an elbow on Shikamaru’s shoulder. “And how do we find that out?”

* * *

“Yo! You called me?”

Kakashi stood before the council but it was only one member, he didn’t get along with this man, or any other of the council members in fact. Kakashi smiled as cheery as he could behind his mask.

“Yes, we need you in office again, only temporary of course”

“In what position?”

“Hokage, I am sure you have heard the news by now of your former student?”

Kakashi frowned. “Yes I have and I am not impressed with the council’s decision”

The man raised his hand in defence. “Naruto would have been put back in if he let Sasuke come in-”

“That sounds different from imprisonment” Kakashi interrupted, earning a stern look from the man.

“I will not deny Naruto has been a good leader, however when it comes to Uchiha Sasuke he becomes blind. We have yet to fully discover the boy’s true abilities to determine the underline threat he could potentially be”

“So it was a good enough excuse to throw him in a cell and dissect him? He’s been living here for years now and hasn’t been a threat since the war”

The council man released an irritated sigh. “Do you want the job or not?”

He hesitated, inspected the man sitting. “What will happen to Naruto?”

“For now, as he is” the council man shrugged. “Until Uchiha Sasuke is brought in, he cannot be considered as a candidate to lead”

Kakashi continued to inspect the council for a long minute before he snorted and headed towards the door.

“Yeah, I’ll take it”

* * *

Blue eyes inspected the sleeping pale face, sorrow casted deeply into his features. The blonde laid exactly the way he fell asleep, well with what sleep he managed to get, he kept thinking he would turn in his sleep at some point and somehow suffocate Sasuke. That point became more and more ridiculous the more he thought about it. But it clearly still ran with him otherwise he wouldn’t be feeling this haggard.

Last night had been awful, Naruto would automatically wake himself up before he fell into a deep sleep and it would become more difficult each time he heard Sasuke’s breath. It was too late now to go back to sleep because now, the sun was up high in the sky. Probably a bit past midday now and his stomach was starting to complain.

‘ _Doesn’t Sasuke need to eat too?’_ The blonde frowned. Regardless of what form of sleep Sasuke was in, he would still need fluids to survive. However, Naruto lacked the knowledge of the poison and if it either indeed put the raven into a coma or, had actually paused his body’s process of living all together. He didn’t exactly how to test this theory out, he wasn’t a medic and he wasn’t leaving Sasuke’s side any time soon. Well getting him to respond willingly and physically was obviously out of the question. But maybe a response that was something that’s not in Sasuke’s control.

‘ _I wonder if you can hear me._ ’ His palm directly over where Sasuke’s heart should be, he concentrated on feeling his heart beat. When he could feel soft melody thumping against his palm, he moved closer to the raven’s ear. “Sasuke” he whispered.

“I love you”

He felt it skip a beat and speed up suddenly, but as quickly as the erratic heart beat came, it began to fade and pace itself back to its normal rhythm.

For a blissful second, Naruto grinned madly. “So you can hear me”

But the second passed and it dawned on him that, yes, Sasuke did in fact _need_ medically attention to survive. Where to attain it was the next question, he couldn’t practically go anywhere. The only person he would rely on that was still in the village was… Sakura.

Saddened by the thought of his friend and her current actions, he was not angered by it, just disappointed. Disappointed that she would disregard their friendship in a heartbeat for an obsessive love life that had never existed, though he was mainly disappointed in himself. How did he not see this coming? To be fair he would have never expected a reaction as vile as this and he had this sick twist in his gut that it wasn’t completely over yet. Still by telling her, it would be a form of rejection in her eyes that he should had still been more prepared for and even planned it more in advanced. Or just had shut up and listened to Sasuke and not said anything at all.

But he was getting tired of hiding. He wanted to be able to do all the small stupid things in public without shame, he was the Hokage for fuck sakes! Naruto should be allowed to be happy with any partner he chooses. Naruto snorted, _clearly not_. Not everyone was truly his friend.

A light tap on the opened door called his attention. “What news you got?”

Kakashi crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame. “Have you moved at all?”

“Yeah, sort of” He answered as he sat up. Kakashi didn’t seem impressed by the uncertain response.

“Why don’t you go home, take a shower and have something to eat. We can discuss what to do next when you get back”

Naruto’s brows furrowed. “I’m not leaving his side,” his expression shifted to concern as he glanced back to the sleeping raven. “I think he needs to go to the hospital, but I know they will take me away and incarcerate him. This would be easier if I was still Hokage”

Kakashi sighed, _so much for discussing later_. “Besides that, you can be reinstated if Sasuke is brought in”

The blonde head shifted back. “Since when?”

“Since they put me in power this morning”

Naruto gaped, he snapped out of it and started shaking his head. “Seriously, what type of council is this, they picked you, _again_?”

“Hey, at least we can have more control over this situation now”

“Yeah, at least that’s true”

Kakashi sighed again as he watched the blonde inspect his unmoving hand in his lap. “Like I said go home, Sasuke will still be here and I’ll be here watching him”

Naruto watched Sasuke once more and squeezed his hand. “Ok, I’ll be quick”

* * *

Half an hour later, Naruto was back at Iruka’s to find Kakashi sitting on the couch in the main room, reading.

“Anything changed?”

Kakashi flipped a page “Nope,” he snapped the book shut, bringing his attention to the refreshed blonde in front of him. “You ready to take Sasuke to the hospital?”

Naruto sighed and nodded, not looking forward to the interactions for once. But this move is for Sasuke. They both moved to the spare room, Naruto bent down to pick the sleeping raven up bridal style as gentle as he could. Blue eyes once again transfixed onto Sasuke’s calm face.

“I want to be the one on guard in the room”

“I figured as much, though that’s not going to mean I’m not putting two more outside the room”

A small smile pulled at Naruto’s lips, showing appreciation for his old teacher. “Thanks Kakashi”

* * *

The trip to the hospital had been easy, getting a room for Sasuke however, proved to be a bit of a challenge since the hospital staff were unaware that Kakashi had become the Hokage. Nether less they prepared a bed while Kakashi left to inform the council about the new arrangement and what procedure to initiate. The time he came back with two guards behind, nurses were in the process of pulling blood from the sleeping raven, while Naruto sat by the side of the bed. Who was currently a little annoyed that they needed to strap Sasuke’s single wrist down.

“They’re getting a sample to see what’s causing this” the blonde updated as he watched the nurse leave.

Kakashi nodded at the information, he ordered the guards to hold their position in front of the door and then closed it behind him.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright by yourself?”

Naruto deadpanned. “Really?”

“I’m just asking” Kakashi held his hands up in his defence.

Naruto released a snort, “Yes I’ll be fine, just make sure you tell Iruka where we are, last thing I want is for him to worry more”

“I’ll drop by the academy to let him know before I head over to Shikamaru’s place to see what he’s got. I also need to talk to him about investigating the council as quietly as possible”

“Investigate the council?” a single blonde eye brow rose.

Kakashi challenge him by raising his own. “Aren’t you curious as to why the council reacted the way they did? Sasuke has lived here for over six years now, when he travels he reports back with very valuable information that profits the village greatly but more importantly in their eyes, he hasn’t been a threat since before the war. There was no appropriate reason for them to over-react like that”

“But what about me and him being together?”

“As I said, no appropriate reason. Sasuke is an ally, an ally that provides valuable information to the village. Maybe it’s not the best for the Hokage to be involved with an ex-rouge ninja but even that reason is thrown out the window with Sasuke, because once again, he’s an ally. And you two are hardly the first openly gay couple to be in this village so that reason is also gone.” Kakashi scratched the side of his neck, “But also the fact they demoted you is very far-fetched since you were doing the job rather well”

Naruto sighed and let his head fall onto the bed in front. “This is frustrating”

Kakashi couldn’t help but smirk at the complaint. “It is but we’ll work it out”

“I should have just left when Sasuke asked me to” The blonde mumbled before turned his head to the side to eye his former teacher. “You better go then, let me know if you find anything oh and don’t forget to tell Iruka”

Kakashi could help the eye roll and turned on his heel to walk out of the room. “Yes mother, and I’ll be a good boy too”

Kakashi heard Naruto’s laugh as he closed the door behind him, the sound of his former students laugh caused him to smile compassionately under his mask. Though he sighed shortly after as he remembered where he was and why. The why exactly still held quite a few questions and not long ago a blood sample was taken to answer those questions. He walked over to the nurse’s desk and pressed the buzzer, seeing as no one was there. He could hear someone round the corner.

“Goddamn people are so impatient pressing the- oh Kakashi-san! How may I help?”

“I was wondering about a blood sample of Uchiha Sasuke?

“Oh they should be done by now. I’ll go check for you”

The nurse was gone back around the same corner she came. Hopefully she would come back with some answers.

* * *

Night had fallen over the sky, but not in the small hospital room. The lamp caused the room to be bathed in its warm light as the blonde who had yet to move from the bed side, chatted away with his unresponsive audience. Kakashi did as he was told and told Iruka, who came past and left only an hour ago, bringing him dinner and a fresh pair of clothes. The guards outside the room were instructed to only allow certain people through and no one else.

It was rounding close to ten o’clock now, meaning that staff in the hospital will shorten dramatically. One of the nurses entered to give him a fresh jug of water before smiling and leaving for the evening. For a long minute Naruto remained quiet while watching the other.

Though he interrupted it by snorting at a thought, he released Sasuke’s hand to pure himself glass. “You know what was one really annoying thing that you never told me?”

He sculled the water, placing the plastic cup back on the bench and reach for he limp hand once more. “You never told me when I said I loved you first, you told me you said it only because I said it first, but you never told me when”

He breathed a laughed to himself. “I wish you were awake right now so you could tell me when,” Naruto scoffed “But as if you would, you wouldn’t tell me before so why would you tell me now? Stubborn bastard”

Naruto sighed and raked his free hand through his head, he was starting to feel a bit drowsy. It has been a long two days, and Sasuke being unconscious wasn’t helping. He yawned and stretched all at once.

“You don’t mind if I sleep here do you?” He laid his head just underneath his arm on the bed, sleep sounded incredible right now. “I’m just gonna park it right here”

He eyed Sasuke happily one more time, before letting the weights on his eyelids finally fall. The rhythmic beep from the machine was weirdly pulling him easily into the lull.

“G’night Sasuke” and he was snoring lightly within seconds.

* * *

It would be nineteen minutes later that the thuds of two bodies hit the ground sounded outside the door before it creaked opened. Sakura stepped over the unconscious bodies, through the door and shut it and locked it with a click. She readjusted the bag on her shoulder as she walked forward to retrieved the jug of water and poured it down the sink, so no one would find the drug she put in it to knock Naruto out. It was not as strong as the one she gave Sasuke and with the nine-tailed foxes help, it would be out of his system by morning.

She left the jug in the sink and went to Sasuke’s side that wasn’t currently occupied. She internally sneered at the sight, Naruto thought that Sasuke would never be hers, well there were other ways to claim him.

Sakura placed her bag at the end of the bed, reached inside to retrieve a small but empty container, plastic gloves and lubricant. She will finally be able to continue what she had started the other night, before she was interrupted by Kakashi.

She put the gloves on, then proceeded to pull down the sheets and then Sasuke’s pants. She took a deep breath at the sight as she never saw this part of him before, she went over to unscrew the lid of the container and then squeezed out the lubricant onto her hand. Before she started, she leaned down so her mouth was right next to Sasuke’s ear and her tone was a mere whisper.

“I am sorry for this Sasuke-kun. It didn’t have to be this way, but you gave me no choice”

Sakura leaned back while massaging the substance in her hand so it wouldn’t be so cold against his skin. She didn’t say anything else for the rest of the night. Only noise in the room was the sound of hand, the monitor and Naruto’s snores.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am incredibly sorry if this triggered anyone and I hope to all fucking gods that it has not. Maybe I should put more warnings in the tags, but that means I need to plan ahead with this story that clearly has no plot. Speaking of that, I must admit that I have lost a bit of drive for this story. I didn’t plan it at all which is why it has so many holes, like its holes has holes, it’s nuts! I’m not 100% sure I will continue to write this, except in the spam of the moment like how it was created in the first place. So yeah, I’m not sure when I will be updating next or at all since my life also has done at least four 360’s in the past six months, but I would greatly appreciate to know what you guys think and even ideas to fill some of these plot holes. Have a splendid night/day!


End file.
